Wardrobe hanger bar with cap locking means



Feb. 28, 1967 F. P. BRENNAN WARDROBE HANGER BAR WITH CAP LOCKING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1965 INVENTOR. Ema/as P fies/1 4 Wm ATTORNEYS I) l Feb. 28, 1967 F. P. BRENNAN WARDROBE HANGER BAR WITfi CAP LOCKING MEANS 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed May 12, 1965 INVENTOR. kwA/c/s 1. 5asA/n/zm/ United States Patent Ofiice 3,306,465 Patented Feb. 28, 1967 3,306,465 WARDROBE HANGER BAR WITH CAP LOCKING MEANS Francis P. Brennan, Lisle, IlL, assignor to Brennan Engineering Corporation, Downers Grove, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 12, 1965, Ser. No. 455,075

4 Claims. (Cl. 211124) This invention relates generally to an improved wardrobe hanger bar construction, whereby the hanger bar includes a locking cap which may be quickly and readily assembled with the main body portion of the hanger bar so wire coat hangers carried thereon may be locked against inadvertent movement or displacement and against disengagement of the wire hangers from the hanger bar by such movement.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hanger bar of novel and improved construction.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a new and improved hanger bar construction, includ ing a separable locking cap, whereby wire hangers may be securely locked against disengagement and against deformation during movement of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination hanger bar and locking cap of economical construction.

It is another object of the invention to provide a hanger bar with a locking device which is easily operated.

The organization and manner of operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which an exemplification of the invention is illustrated.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wardrobe carton and a partially exploded hanger bar incorporating the invention with several wire hangers thereupon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the hanger bar of FIG. 1 in the closed or locking position with the hangers shown in section.

FIG. 3 is a vertical end view, partly in section, of the hanger bar taken along the line IIIIII in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the hanger bar in position upon a cardboard wardrobe carton or container, partly in section and with parts broken away to show interior parts; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, taken along the line VV of FIG. 3 with parts shown in moved position.

As shown on the drawings:

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a typical corrugated cardboard wardrobe car-ton having two oppositely positioned pairs of side walls 11, 11', 12 and 12', is shown. Between one pair of the side walls 12, 12' is suspended a novel wardrobe hanger bar generally indicated as 14 for receiving a number of hangers 16.

It will be understood that the wardrobe 10 is provided with a conventional longitudinal opening, and with a bottom construction and further with a cover, normally in the form of an open-bottom cardboard box of slightly greater side wall dimensions than the side walls 11, 11, 12, 12 of the wardrobe 10.

In accordance with the invention. the hanger bar 14 comprises a lower main body member 18 which forms a cross bar support for carrying plural coat hangers and a cap locking means or upper member sometimes referred to herein as a locking cap 20. The lower member 18 comprises two inverted J-shaped (in side view) support end supports 22 and 24, formed with hook portions which are positioned on and over the side walls 12, 12'.- The planar longer members of the inverted J cross-section end supports 22 24, lie adjacent the inner surface of the wardrobe carton 10 and has a hanger bearing main bar 28 aflixed between them. Each of the end supports 22, 24, respectively, lie atop an upper horizontal edge 12e' of the side walls 12, 12'. A shorter depending leg 23 of the inverted J-shaped end supports bears against and along the outside surface of the walls 12, 12', and a longer leg 21 depends vertically against and along the inside surface.

The bar 28 is of a generally inverted U-shape (in end view) having two depending side walls 28b and 28c and an upper wall or surface 28a formed by a bight portion. The bar 28 is provided with two spaced apertures 30, 32 on its upper surface 28a.

The upper or locking member 20 is also of generally inverted U-shaped cross-section, thereby to be somewhat complementary in shape to the main bar 28 and extends a substantial portion of its longitudinal extent but less than the total length of the bar 28. The locking cap 20 has an upper surface 20a and two depending side walls 20b and 200. The side walls 201; and 200 depend, relative to side walls 28b, 28c, only a short distance. In order to lock the upper and lower members together the member 20 is provided with twospaced depending tongues 34 and 36, whichare struck out from the upper surface 202 and extend. downward between and beyond the walls 20b and 20c. These tongues 34 and 36 are preferably formed by cutting or stamping them out of the material of upper surface wall 20a.

As better illustrated in FIG. 2, the U-shaped locking element 20 has onl a slightly larger separation between its depending side walls 20b and 20c than between the side walls 28b, 28c and the apertures 30 and 32 are of generally tear-shaped configuration and point towards the respective ends of the bar member 28, thereby to form a self centering locator means in cooperation with the tongues 34 and 36. The depending tongue elements 34 and 36 offset angularly between the open position (FIG. 1) and the moved or closed position (FIG. 2) wherein the lower segment of the tongues 34, 36 lies in a plane approximately parallel to that of the upper surfaces 28a and 20a of the elements 28 and 20, below and adjacent to the bottom of the surface 20a between the depending side walls 20b and 200 of the bar 20. The tongues 34, 36 pass through the apertures 30, 32 of the upper surface 20a of the bar 20 and may be offset outward thereby to underlie surface 28a toward the nearer end support 22 andthe nearer end of the bar28. The tongues 34, 36 are also preferably generally tear-shaped with the narrow end affixed to wall 20a and the widest portion remote therefrom.

At each of the top outer edges of the inverted J- shaped end supports 22, at the hook ofthe I, wherethe end supports 22 rest against the upper edge of the carton walls 12 and 12', there is provided a downward crimp or depression 23 which depresses oppositely directed trough-like edges down and into the top -wall edges 12e of the Walls 12, 12' to prevent horizontal movement or sliding of the bar structure 14 along the walls 12, 12'.

Referring to FIG. 3, the mating and interplay between the bar member 28 and the locking cap member 2t) with the hooked portion 16a of a conventional wire hanger 16 is illustrated. The hook 16a rides over the outer surface of the U-shaped bar 28 with the cap member 20 above it and the hanger bar 28. The tongue 36 is shown in its closed or locking position, wherein it passes through the aperture 32 from the member 20 to the underside of the bar 28 and extends in a plane approximately parallel to the upper surface 20a of the member 20, underneath the bar 28. The bottom edges 20d and 20s of the depending side walls 20b and 290 of the U-shaped locking member 20 are in contact with the hook portion 16a at the points 160a and 1601) near the bends or junctions 228g, 2811 between the side walls 28c, 28b and the top wall 2811. Along these lines the book 16a is supported by the bar 28.

That arrangement of the cap 20 and the bar 28 insures that there is no give-space between the hanger 16 and the hanger bar assembly 14 in which the hanger 16 may deform. Further, the frictional contact between the hanger 16 and the bar assembly 14 prevents sliding of the hanger 16 along the bar 14.

The bar member 28 is preferably afiixed to the J- shaped end supports 22 by means of two tab extensions 28d and 28e of the side .walls 28b, 28c, and a depending tab extension 28 from the top wall 28a, all of which are formed to lie in a vertical plane at right angles to their respective walls. The tabs 28d, 28e, 28f are folded inwardly from the side walls 28a, 28b, 28c to enter into pocket-like raised portions 22d, 22c, 22], respectively, of the supporting element 22 through the slits 22d, 22e, 22;. The element 22 is further constructed with restraining ridges 44d, 44e, 44) respectively positioned adjacent the outer surfaces of the walls 28a, 28b, 28c which, together with the tab arrangement serve to secure the U-shaped bar 28 to the boards 22. Such arrangement has the advantage of eliminating any expensive welding or the need for additional fasteners and also allows a simplified assembly procedure.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the hanger bar 14 is in its unlocked state, without hangers 16 and with the inverted 'U-shaped locking member 20 resting down and around the inverted U-shaped bar 28 with the respective upper and side walls 20a, 20b, 20c of the locking member 20 adjacent the respective outer, upper and side walls 28a, 28b, 280 of the bar 28. The tongues 34 and 36, depending from the member 20, pass through the tearshaped apertures 30, 32 and between the legs 28a, 28b of the bar 28. This arrangement may be used for transporting the hanger bar structure 14 to the point of first use.

In FIG. 5, the cooperation between the tongue 36 and the aperture 32 in the locking configuration of the hanger bar 14- is best depicted. As the same general relationship exists between the tongue 34 and aperture 30, only one of the two tongue aperture pairs will be described. The tongue 36 is bent at an acute angle to the vertical along a section 36a until it makes contact with the narrowing vertical cross dimension of the tearshaped aperture 32. At this point of contact, the tongue 36 bends to the vertical and preferably rests against the under surface of the wall 28a to hold the locking cap member 20 and the hangers 16 from vertical motion. The other tongue and aperture pair assume a similar configuration. Since both tongues 34 and 36 move outwardly against the decreasing horizontal, width dimensions of the tear-shaped apertures and 32, respectively, the locking member 20 is securely restrained from horizontal or sliding movement along the bar 28.

When the hanger bar structure is to be used for holding the hangers, the locking member 20 is removed by raising it directly above the bar 14 until the tongues 34, 36 clear the apertures 30, 32 (FIG. 1). After so raising, the member 20 is placed aside and clothing bearing hangers such as 16 are placed on the bar 28 in the conventional manner. When the desired number of hangers have been so placed, the locking member 20 is returned to a position over the bar 28 with the tongues 34, 36 aligned with and directed toward the apertures 30, 32. The locking member 20 is then lowered allowing the tongues 34, 36 to enter the apertures 30, 32 and released to allow the side walls 20b, 20c of the locking member 20 to rest upon the supported portions a, 160b of the hanger hook 16a (FIG. 3). Because the member 26 rests upon the hanger hook 16a at a portion at which there is normally no space between the bar 28 and the hanger hook 16a, it is unnecessary in most cases to exert any force upon the locking element 20 to bring it into, close contact with the hangers 16 and the bar 14.

Next, the tongues 34, 36 are depressed outward toward the end support boards 24, 22 (FIG. 5). In this operation, either of the tongues 34, 36 may be bent first, or they may be bent together. Because of the action of the tear-shaped apertures 30, 32 and the tongues 34, 36, the locking member is secured from motion laterally relative to the bar 28 along the axis of the bar 28. This prevents scoring and weakening or breaking of the hanger hook 16a at the supported areas 160a, 16Gb by lateral movement of the locking member 20. The presence of the locking member 20 also prevents deforming of the hanger hook 16a during transport by placing a counterforce downward against the hook 16a at the portions 160a, 1601).

At the destination, the hanger bar locking member 20 need only be removed by reversing the above process.

As is now apparent, a new and improved hanger bar construction for a moving wardrobe carton which admits of greater security against disengagement of the hangers during movement of the carton has been provided. The described hanger bar is easily operated and is capable of economic construction.

Although modifications might be suggested by those skilled in the art, it will be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent invented herein all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within'the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hanger bar structure for use with a portable moving wardrobe carton and for bearing a plurality of garment hangers therein, comprising:

an inverted U-shaped main bar having an upper wall and depending side walls for receiving and supporting hangers and having means at opposite ends for mounting the bar on a carton; an inverted U-shaped locking member having an upper wall substantially the same width as said bar upper wall and depending side walls lying in approximately the same plane as said bar side walls, said member lying along and over said bar; and

means for releasably afiixing said member to said bar to prevent disengagement of hangers suspended from said structure and comprising mating struck out tongues and openings formed between said upper walls of said locking member and said main bar, respectively, said tongues being offset to underlie the edges of the openings for clamping the locking member to the main bar.

2. A hanger bar structure as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said means at opposite ends for mounting the bar on a carton comprising two inverted I-shaped end supports oppositely disposed and adapted for lying against the inner surface of the carton.

3. A hanger bar structure in accordance with claim 1, and being further characterized by said upper surface of said "bar having wedge-shaped apertures spaced near opposite ends of said bar, said locking member having corresponding spaced depending tongue elements depending from the upper surface of the under surface of said upper wall into said spaced apertures of said main bar, said tongues and said apertures comprising said releasa-ble alfixing means.

4. A hanger bar structure as defined in claim 3, and

further characterized by said member side walls having a bearing surface formed to the hangers at approximately the points of contact of a hanger and said bar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 2,702,588 2/ 1955 Zummack 248233 X 2,867,459 1/1959 Brennan 211-123 X 3,112,027 11/1963 Field et a1 2067 3,143,215 4/1964 Sitrin 211-105.1

CLAUDE A. IJE ROY, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HANGER BAR STRUCTURE FOR USE WITH A PORTABLE MOVING WARDROBE CARTON AND FOR BEARING A PLURALITY OF GARMENT HANGERS THEREIN, COMPRISING: AN INVERTED U-SHAPED MAIN BAR HAVING AN UPPER WALL AND DEPENDING SIDE WALLS FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING HANGERS AND HAVING MEANS AT OPPOSITE ENDS FOR MOUNTING THE BAR ON A CARTON; AN INVERTED U-SHAPED LOCKING MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER WALL SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME WIDTH AS SAID BAR UPPER WALL AND DEPENDING SIDE WALLS LYING IN APPROXIMATELY THE SAME PLANE AS SAID BAR SIDE WALLS, SAID MEMBER LYING ALONG AND OVER SAID BAR; AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY AFFIXING SAID MEMBER TO SAID BAR TO PREVENT DISENGAGEMENT OF HANGERS SUSPENDED FROM SAID STRUCTURE AND COMPRISING MATING STRUCK OUT TONGUES AND OPENINGS FORMED BETWEEN SAID UPPER WALLS OF SAID LOCKING MEMBER AND SAID MAIN BAR, RESPECTIVELY, SAID TONGUES BEING OFFSET TO UNDERLIE THE EDGES OF THE OPENINGS FOR CLAMPING THE LOCKING MEMBER TO THE MAIN BAR. 